Criminality And Insecurity In FCT, The Nation’s Capital

BY AJUMA EDWINA AMEH – For over five months, a heightened wave of insecurity tainted the much fancied and once-serene atmosphere that defined the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), striking fears into the hearts of its residents.

Specifically, between January and February this year (2024), there was a sharp rise in the spate of kidnappings for ransom and killings of residents of the FCT by bandits, with Kuje, Lugbe, and Bwari Area Councils being the hotbeds of these activities.

During the period, as early as 8:00pm, most of the suburbs of the Nation’s capital looked deserted, as most people must have made a retreat to their homes out of fear of falling victim of kidnap. This was just as it suicidal for people to venture going out as early as 5:00am in Abuja for fear of the unknown.

However, the insecurity in the Nation’s capital of recent, seems to have improved tremendously as residents of the Territory are gradually overcoming the shocks and fears thus, being able once again to move about their daily activities like in the past, all thanks to the ramp-up of security patrol by the FCT Administration, the Police, other security agencies in collaboration with local vigilantes in the FCT.

The Police Special Intervention Squad 

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on January 17, 2024, launched a special team tagged the ‘Special Intervention Squad’ aimed at tackling the menace of insecurity, particularly kidnappings in the Nation’s seat of government which was becoming embarrassing.

According to the police boss, the team comprising specially trained mobile police officers is expected to provide rapid response to the alarming security breaches in the FCT.

While assuring that the squad will engage in massive community policing, the IGP said the Special Intervention Squad will be replicated in neighbouring states to address the challenges of insecurity.

To demonstrate his determination in tackling headlong the unacceptable insecurity situation, IGP Egbetokun met with the Force Management Team and Tactical Squads in Abuja to ensure synergy and cohesive operations.

This is as the Nigeria military, the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Office of National Security Adviser (NIS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), mapped out inter-agency cooperation tactics as well as working in synergy to restore the security in the seat of power.

With this synergy, tight security patrol was ramped up on the streets of the FCT, especially in areas prone to kidnappings,

such as Kuje, Airport road, Kubwa, Dutse, Dei-Dei/Zuba road, Kagini, and Bwari axis, among others, a development that witnessed security operatives patrolling the affected areas with well-armed and combat-ready security personnel with different patrol vehicles in strategic areas that include but not limited to Phase 3 and 4, Federal Housing entrance, Arab road and 2.1 axis of Kubwa, a suburb of the FCT.

Also, working closely with different vigilantes groups that are complimenting the responsibility of the security agencies in some areas, has made the fight against insecurity more effective.

Speaking with journalists recently at the FCT Police Command headquarters in Abuja, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Josephine Adeh, said the launch of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS), headed by the present Commissioner of Police, CP Benneth Igweh, was responsible for the drastic decrease in insecurity.

Speaking on the measures being taken to address the rising spate of insecurity in the FCT while parading some kidnap kingpins and ‘one-chance’ robbers, DSP Adeh said the creation of the SIS yielded positive results, as several kidnappers’ camps were busted, kidnappers arrested, and many victims rescued and reunited with their families and loved ones.

According to the FCT Police spokesperson; “CP Igweh has rolled out a new security approach to ensure the safety of those who engage in social activities during the evening hours. The presence of highly professional police operatives would be felt in such places to boost the confidence of individuals engaged in social activities at night”.

Also speaking during an interview, a member of a local vigilante in Wuida, Kagini suburb, Mr. Isa Yohanna, explained that at night they beave up patrols in the whole community, especially areas close to the bushes to ensure that bandits and others engaged in criminal activities do not have access to the community.

In his words; “Every suburb in the FCT has vigilante that works hand in hand with the police to secure their area. All the vigilante groups are registered with AMAC. That is why we are allowed to carry locally-made guns. We work under the supervision of police, who come here once in a while at night to check on us or give us information or security tips. They also come to give us orientation.

“The community donates stipends for us to buy torchlights, water, and other items. Since we increased our patrol and recruited more people, insecurity in this area has been reduced by 60 percent.

“Before now, it was difficult for a week to pass without any case of robbery or kidnap. But, all that has passed,” he enthused.

Residents’ Satisfaction with Security Architecture

Taking cognizance of the improved security situation, some residents have expressed excitement with the beef up of security around their area. Specifically, one of the residents of Chikka village situated along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Mr. Vincent Ipole, said he arrived late from church recently. While heading home, he passed over five security checkpoints.

Ipole said; “At this point, the fear in me immediately disappeared, because, before the increased incidents of insecurity, it was just one checkpoint, which was far from Chilkka. At the second to the last and last checkpoints, both the motorcyclists and passengers are expected to disembark and walk past the checkpoint before continuing their journey.

As a result of these measures, cases of kidnapping, robbery, bag and telephone handsets snatching amongst others have reduced,” he said.

Another resident of the FCT, residing at INEC Quarters, situated in Federal Housing, Kubwa, Mr. John Odeh, said that DSS security personnel have also been beefed up around the axis, adding that as a result, the threats of insecurity in the area have drastically reduced if not eliminated.

Odeh said; “We don’t have any issue of kidnapping, robbery, etc here again because of the DSS quarters close to us. At night, anything from 9:00 pm, you will see them everywhere around here patrolling. That is why I don’t want to move out from here”.

With the current beef-up of security personnel in the FCT, the chances of insecurity increasing or degenerating look slim and difficult as the perpetrators of the acts know that they would be embarking on a suicidal mission of no return.